McCain Able to Skirt Limits of Federal Financing

[tannybogus]

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama put his fundraising machine on display in Beverly Hills last night, tallying more than $9 million at star-studded events that included a $28,500-per-person dinner and a private concert by Barbra Streisand.

Obama's record $66 million haul in August and the money that poured into his campaign last night have helped feed the impression that the senator from Illinois will have a substantial financial advantage over Republican Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) heading into the final weeks of the presidential campaign. But presidential strategists and campaign finance experts expressed surprise yesterday that Obama's decision to become the first presidential nominee to swear off public funding for the general election -- and McCain's decision to finance his bid with a single $84 million infusion from the federal government -- has not given Obama a clear financial edge.

"Senator Obama's advantage is not emerging as people thought," said Lawrence M. Noble, a former Federal Election Commission general counsel and an Obama supporter.

The reason has less to do with Obama's fundraising -- he has now raised $440 million, more than any presidential candidate in history -- than it does with McCain's ability to maneuver within the confines of the Watergate-era funding program, Noble said.

With backing from the Republican National Committee, McCain has taken advantage of loopholes such as "hybrid" television advertisements and joint fundraising committees that may keep him close to financial parity with Obama.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/16/AR2008091603321.html?hpid=topnews

Oh yeah! He'll run a transparent campaign.:sarcasm:

[curious one]

1. Obama has to fight with and pay MSM for getting air time while McLame is getting all the free air

time he needs from MSM. in other words MSM is an extension of McLame's campaign and can't be bought with any amount of money.

[C_U_L8R]

2. The media might come to regret that

with a Democratic President and Congress in charge for at least the next eight years.
Just sayin'... doesn't sound like they are making sound business decision by betting on the loser.

[Demeter]

3. The Media Put Themselves In Jeopardy

Don't cry for them. They have lost so much market share, they are nearly irrelevent already. This campaign ought to finish most of them off.